House of Cards-Sing With Me
by regertz
Summary: That song Claire just can't get out of her head…


House of Cards: "Sing With Me..."

Summary: That song Claire just can't get out of her head…

Disclaimer: No copywright infringement intended…

The Oval Office…The White House…

Just before Doug's arrival…

"Polly, pretty Polly..." Francis' voice...

Claire, seated behind desk, yanks earphones off in horror...

...

Two hours later…

Doug's body being lifted by EMTs, Secret Service swarming round the office…

"It's what I had to do. It's what Doug really wanted." She tells us as EMTs strap the lifeless body of Doug Stamper on to gurney "You know that. He didn't come here to kill me, he came here to have forgiveness...And end his pain." Secret Service agents moving to isolate and escort her to safe area as the top echelon staff granted access, with vetting, swarms round, some insistent, others bewildered and horrified. Agents carefully holding others back at the entrance…

"Polly, pretty Polly..." Francis' voice echoes down the hall.

"Madam President!" Several of the aides try to insist their way to Claire but are blocked by the Secret Service agents.

"...would you take me unkind?"

"Stop!" She cries. The agents confused...Ma'am? "Madam President? We have to get you to the safe room." The security detail chief noted.

"Polly, pretty Polly, would you take me unkind?" The voice echoes

"No!" Claire pulls from the chief agent, urging her to come with him…

"Ma'am. We have to take you to a secure room now!" He insists.

"Let me sit beside you and tell you my mind..."

"Who's playing that?!" Claire cries. "Turn it off!" She twists about.

"Ma'am. We will physically restrain you if we must..."

"For my mind is to marry and never to part..."

"Enough! Stop playing that or I won't come!" She struggled in the agents' grip.

"What's she talking about?" One female aide asks. "Is she...? Again?" hisses to male colleague.

"We have a full security lockdown. The acting President is being moved to the safe room, clear the hallway. This is no drill." An agent notes to radio.

"Ma'am? Playing what? Let's go, carry her." The chief orders . Two men grabbing Claire, she striking one.

"Ma'am, calm down! You're safe." "Madam President?!" Agents moving to her...

"The first time I saw you it wounded my heart..."

"Stop it !" She cried. "Whoever's playing that, I'll...!" She looked round wildly. "Find out where that's coming from!"

"Ma'am! Listen to me!" The chief agent held her face tightly, looking straight into her eyes. "There's nothing playing. Calm down or we will sedate you!"

"Damn you!" Claire screamed, then struggled again.

"Doctor?!" The chief called, waving to an entering physician with bag in hand. "The acting President needs your help!"

"I am the President! " Claire fumed. Then calmed, no longer hearing Frank's voice. "Sorry, Agent. I was upset. Get me to the safe room at once. Doctor, I'm fine."

"Yes, ma'am. Doctor? Lets get the President to the safe room, then you can examine her."

"And if you ever address me as Acting President again, you can turn in your resignation." She eyed the chief agent who returned her stare, calmly.

"Yes, Madam President." He nodded. The group of agents hustling along the hallway.

"Move, move, move!" An agent calls to the two with Claire, other agents shoving or pushing staff out of their way.

"What about Doug, Mr. Stamper?"

"Dead, as per the White House physician's examination." The chief agent replied.

"I want the medical report and I'll want to see him, soon as possible. Once the area's secured...No one else besides me. Keep staff and press away. Maintain a total lockdown."

"Yes, ma'am. My people and FBI will want to question you about what happened in your office ASAP."

"Tell them...Later. I'll speak to them all...Later."

"Yes ma'am."

"Oh, Polly, pretty Polly come go along with me..." the voice resumed, Claire struggling to ignore it.  
...

Claire's HHS Secretary now in huddle with her former House colleagues just within the safe room, hastily summoned…The woman who'd insisted it didn't matter who, it was time for a woman before Claire maneuvered for the Presidency.

"The cabinet's letter's just been formally acknowledged by Congress…We've already got her on the way out. She's done her job and got us in the door…Let Speaker Blythe know we're supporting him if he takes a woman as VP." The Secretary noted. "The Cabinet is in agreement here."

"We're thinking maybe Heather Dunbar?" one suggested. "She's not just been cleared by all this recent stuff, she's the heroine who tried to stop Underwood and she has the name recognition…."

"Fine by me, but lets have a list of candidates for the President…" glance to where Claire is being brought in by her security team.

"Just so long as none is associated with the Underwood administration today…And emphasize that we're calling the whole thing the Underwood administration. Lets get as much of this off the woman as we still can…"

"Can we?" one aide looked over to Claire. "The books and diary are going to damn her as much as him, especially the Yeats book."

"Well, we can claim she was 'contaminated' by Francis. The main thing is, we're through the door, now lets not let some ranting vain fool set us back fifty years." Frown. "We want this over with and a decent woman VP in office asap."...

...

The safe room, the secure large bunker area below the White House...

"Madam President, we have determined there is no further direct threat at this time..." the chief Secret Service agent had come to her. "But we recommend you remain here for now."

"Good." She nodded.

"...come go along with me." Sings, then switch to normal speaking voice..."Claire, did you ever know that song was a murder ballad?" Wry tone.

She whirled around, startling the agents about her and the two staffers just allowed in, bearing folders of documents for her perusal... "Damn you, can't you just stay buried?!" She hissed. "Oh ho, no...No, no, no, my darling." Frank's voice, deep chuckle. "You need me too much. But careful, it's not the time for us to argue..."

She grimaced, seeing the looks and stares at her.

Why does he always have to be right? Even when he's likely just inside my head?

"It's fine." She told the nearest staffer. "What do you have for me?"

"Just a review, ma'am." The woman, an assistant Secretary of State eyed her cautiously.

"Nothing but your favorite song, darling…" warm soft voice…Not even mocking now.

"I wanted the daily papers for signature from your departments." Claire frowned, thumbing…Ignoring the voice.

"Ma'am..." the other staffer, from the chief of staff's office. "There are no papers for you to sign...Today."

"Before we get married some pleasures to see..." Frank's voice, singing softly.

"I see." Claire, calmly.

"Do...you?" Frank's voice, slightest mocking tone.

"Congress has approved the invocation of the 25th..." she stated calmly.

"Be bold, fear no man...Of woman born..." Frank's whisper, openly mocking now.

"I...Don't...Fear...You." Clenched teeth, lowest whisper.

"Yes, ma'am." the staffer agreed, nervously nodding. "They just passed word to us. The Speaker..." she paused.

"I'm so glad...I'd hate to think you did..." Frank's voice, mocking tone...singing "Oh, he led her over mountains and valleys so deep...Polly mistrusted and then began to weep."

"The Speaker of the House has been sworn in as acting President." The assistant secretary spoke.

"Donald Blythe, once again. Can you believe it?" Frank's chuckle. "But, you thought he was the weakest candidate for Speaker, despite his being on to you at last. And if you couldn't have a woman...and the only likely candidate there hated your guts...None you could dominate better than our own Donald. Or so it seemed…But you always were an arrogantly poor judge of character, dear."

"Just give me the summaries..." Claire frowned, reaching.

"These will be the last, ma'am. Though as a former president you will be entitled to receive briefings..." the assistant secretary eyed her.

"Just like good ole Garrett Walker..." Frank's hearty chuckle. "You know, had I been willing to play the game, I think he would have backed me for President in the normal course...But that was too slow for us.." singing "Oh Willie, little Willie, I'm afraid of your ways. The way you've been rambling you'll lead me astray."

"Ma'am?" The chief agent had come to her as the staffers left. Two quiet men standing patiently. "These men need to debrief you on what happened just now in your office as soon as you're able..."

"Oh, Polly, pretty Polly, your guess is about right. I've dug on your grave the biggest part of last night." Pause..."Well, really the biggest part of last year, dear."

"Fine..." Claire waved a hand. "But just...Later...Please. Ohhh..." she groaned, clutching belly at a wave of sharp, agonizing pain. "Ahhhh…"

"Oh no, not our little miracle..." Frank, mocking. "Jesus, protect her."

"Ma 'am!" The chief agent turned round... "Get the EMTs in! Doctor?! Here, now!"

"Oh, she knelt down before him a pleading for her life...She knelt down before him a pleading for her life."

"Never..." she hissed, groaning aloud. The team of EMTs, the White House doctor in tow, rushing in…

"Of course not, that's not you..." Frank's voice, soothing. "Pleading? And I couldn't help you...Not with that. Besides, our little angel has served her purpose and we just as well ought to send her to heaven before we...'contaminate' her, if heaven will accept the present at our hands." Sneer.

"It won't...it's yours not his, I'm sure. I know the insemination worked." She struggled to avoid speaking, the other agents leading her to a chair as the EMTs came to her, the doctor starting to examine her.

"I am truly touched, Claire. But it's not 100 percent without a genetic test ...Which you would only have avoided by terminating the pregnancy before birth and then burning her like poor ole Tom. As you intended. Pity this is rushing things, but you'd've had to get rid of the poor thing soon anyway."

"I was…Going to…Keep…OHHHH!" she groaned again as the doctor filled a syringe and injected her, giving orders to the EMTs and over a phone held close by an agent…

"Really? Now that's just cruel. I mean to torment the poor thing with you as its mother?" Frank's sighing voice. "I mean it's not very likely you'll be needing to kiss it for an election…Do you know Time magazine already has a 'Dead Zone' cover of you holding her up to shield yourself ready? God, they are on to you, dear." Chuckling.

"I'll survive…" she spoke aloud.

"Yes, you will Claire." The doctor nodded, patting her.

"Debatable but for what anyway?" Frank's voice. "Even your 'Frank did it all' routine and trying to look sweet and utterly innocent won't work anymore…Even the dumbest of the cattle can feel your arrogance without me to cover for you, Claire." Sigh "Let me be a single girl if I can't be your wife…" sings. "Why didn't you do that, Claire? Stay single? I would've ended my days as a reasonably successful majority whip…I might even have become Garrett's vice president and President without the foul dust floating in my wake. Not that I blame you for it all, I made my own bed. But why me, given your eager desire to erase me from history and your life. Could it be the great Claire Hale sensed she'd never win a vote without a fellow like me to carry her through the muck?"

"What do you want, Francis?!" she cried, groaning…

The assembled group eyeing each other…The doctor continuing to examine her, while feeding reports via phone.

"It's all right, Claire, we're taking you right in…" the doctor told her.

"Polly, pretty Polly that never can be…Your past recitation's a trouble to me…" singing. "You still don't follow, Claire? I never said you were Polly." Chuckle. "It's only what I deserve, to hear you insist nothing was real between us…That we were never partners…But at least admit, foolish as I was, my 'Polly' was preety tough. Tough enough to carry you through the muck to here. But not so stupid as to never catch on. I did fight, at the end, when you tried to lead me into the woods."

"I…Won't…Let…You…Make…Me…Say…" Claire, through clenched teeth.

"OR, Stat!" the doctor insisted to the EMTs preparing to rush Claire out on her gurney. "Claire? We're going to have to get the baby out right now! We're taking you to surgery!"

"I could never make you do anything, Claire. You know that." Frank's mocking voice. "But you made me marry you…And believe in you. Well done." sigh. "Thank God, if I believed in Her or Him, the brat's dead. It was a mockery of motherhood, even a profanity…"

"No. No…" she whispered.

"No? She's here with me right now. Not that I enjoy her company, but…" the voice continued. "Perhaps God is merciful in some things, after all. As a boy in Gaffney, I was a poor judge of His mercy…"

An EMT eyeing the doctor as she scanned Claire's belly…Say nothing, the doctor's return stare…

"Lets go, now!" the doctor ordered, the agents making a path out the door…

"Your last card…Gone…But it was a bit much, even for you, to steal a sperm sample from my corpse, dear."

"Is she dead?!" Claire gripped the doctor's arm. "Tell…Me!"

"Off to a better world…She's already left me, wise of her." Frank's voice. "Please don't try to claim the little thing's sufferings concerned you for a moment…"

"Claire, lets get you into surgery…" the doctor patted her arm.

"Damn you!" she twisted.

"While I appreciate your strategy here, some dim ember of fatherhood makes me glad for this outcome." Frank's mocking voice. "We had no business ever coming together in any way to foist a child on this world."

"Is it…?" the chief agent eyed the doctor who nodded.

"Francis…" Claire gasped. "Help me. Don't…"

"Say please…I deserve that much…Just once…"

"Please…" she gasped. "Don't leave me…All alone…"

"No fear of that, darling… Sing with me…" warm tone…

"Oh…Went down to the jailhouse…" Claire sang, startling the group working about and on her… "…and what did she say? She…Went…Down to the jailhouse and what did she say…?"

Together, Claire faintly, Frank gently…

"…I've killed pretty Polly but can't get away…"


End file.
